Zvikomborero Parafini
FORMER Bikita West MP and rape convict Munyaradzi Kereke will know his fate in a fraud case after filing a spirited bail bid on Friday.
Kereke and his alleged accomplice Everisto Rukasha were remanded in custody last Thursday on their initial appearance.
They failed in their bail bid, and Kereke through his lawyer, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, argued that he has proven that he’s a suitable candidate for bail because he has been out on bail pending appeal since 2021 and has never violated the bail condition.
Kereke was convicted of raping an 11-year-old in 2016 and sentenced to 10 years in prison, but is currently out on bail pending appeal.
He told the court that he has been reporting every Friday since he was granted bail pending appeal by the Supreme Court in the rape matter and pleaded with the court to be released on the same bail conditions.
The complainant is Harare Municipal Medical Aid Society (HMMAS) a medical aid society of which Rukasha is chief executive officer. He is currently on suspension.
The State said that in early 2014, Kereke and Rukasha agreed to enter into an agreement of sale whereby Kereke allegedly agreed to sell Fortress Hospital in Ruwa to HMMAS US$800 000.
HMMAS paid the full purchase price.
On March 18 last year, Kereke and Rukasha allegedly formulated a plan to defraud HMMAS by demanding US$400 000 despite having been paid in full by the society.
Kereke wrote a letter to HMMAS saying it still owed him US$400 000 from the purchase of Fortress Hospital.
HMMAS’ finance and administration manager paid US$120 000 before the board became suspicious and went on to cancel payment of the remaining requested funds.
Kereke had received a total of US$137 000 from HMMAS towards the alleged fraudulent debt claim of US$400 000.